OpEds—
Lovefests for establishment figures and celebrities, but of little benefit from a tactical or organizational standpoint—and still no real unity.
To The Organizers of the 2014 Animal Rights Conference:
Will there be anyone speaking at the conference acknowledging that we are losing?
That if we continue our present course of action the Animal Holocaust will never end?
That the human population is growing faster than the vegan population?
That the Animal Rights movement is part of the political Left?
That only a paradigm shift in politics and government will lead to Animal Rights?
That Capitalism is the primary cause of animal suffering?
That Republican legislators are opposed to all we do and stand for in the AR movement?
That the Animal Rights movement is greying?
That instead of cumbersome, expensive, self-congratulatory conferences we need online leadership training programs, webinars on the intersection of human and animal rights, revolutionary theory, political strategy, philosophy, history, and tactics?
If not, Why Not?
(For those unfamiliar with the annual Animal Rights conferences):
Each year an Animal Rights conference is held, alternating between Washington, DC and Los Angeles.
In my opinion it is a waste of time and money.
But it is mostly a waste of opportunity.
Organizations showcase themselves. Personalities posture.
Participants pat each other on the back and brag about their successes.
It is a mutual admiration love fest.
Which does the animals no good, or precious little.
Millions of dollars are wasted on air fares, hotel rooms, conference fees, restaurants, souvineers and sightseeing.
Money which could have been spent effectively for the animals.
Talking heads take credit for this minor victory or that.
Egos need to be served, so there is no shortage of speakers.
But the speakers are preaching the same sermons to the same people. Year after year.
The biggest waste is the missed opportunity.
The opportunity to radicalize the AR movement.
The opportunity to develop political strategies.
The opportunity to coordinate effective recruitment.
The opportunity to train leadership.
A couple of days a year is not productive for training or educating.
We need outreach, curricula, ongoing recruitment on school campuses, online training conferences, seminars on revolutionary theory, political strategy and philosophy.
This is the 21st Century.
We hardly need to employ 20th Century technology in 19th Century venues.
The movement is in dire need of leadership.
Of ideas.
Of vision.
ROLAND VINCENT is TGP’s special editor for Ecosocialism & Animal Rights.
